The Romantic Rivalry
by Pokemon Ranger-Trainer
Summary: Pokemon Mystery Dungeon. Seviper and Zangoose have hated each other for generations, so what happens when a lone Seviper falls in love with a Zangoose that he rescues? Will love triumph hate on the genetic level? And why did that Turtwig turn into a Riolu! Rated T to be safe.
1. Midnight Merry Melody

**Wow, it's been a while since I've written for PMD! I don't own Pokémon, but as you probably know, I do own some OC's and the concept of Mountain Pass Town. Also, this is the setting of Explorers of Sky like I always have it. I got this idea when thinking about how weird and funny it is that Zangoose and Seviper are in the same Egg Group, but are rivals by genetics. It'd be like Romeo and Juliet (credit for that goes to Shakespeare). And then I thought, "Hey! I should write something like that!" So, here it goes.**

**Enjoy!**

**Chapter 1: Midnight Merry Melody**

It was a cool, sunny day in Mountain Pass Town, a small town residing at the foot of four mountains in the eastern mountain range of Mystery Dungeon. Mystery Dungeon was a world inhabited by Pokémon with the mental capacity of humans. It was a world filled with wonder and excitement, and where there are wonder and excitement, there are explorers to engage them.

In Mountain Pass Town, there was a guild. It was grand for its youth, and for being run by youths. Piplup and Chimchar, the founders of Team Poké Pals, not only graduated from Wigglytuff's Guild in Treasure Town, but they reached the highly esteemed Guild Master Rank. Thus, they decided that there wasn't enough room in one town for two guilds and moved. They've rallied a nice bunch of Pokémon to join them as apprentices since then.

That is beside the point right now. A Seviper with a scar under his left eye slithered into the Poké Pals Guild, looking for a job. He was an explorer and a one-Pokémon team ever since he had a spat with his last team. He hissed, "Which job would pay the mossst? Hmm?" A certain job on the Job Bulletin board caught his eye. "'Help Zangoose! Last seen in Midnight Forest! Reward: 10,000 Poké'?! Heh! That'sss rich! I get a huge load of cash and I get to prove who is of the sssuperior speciesss!" He hated Zangoose, especially the one that led Team Razor Wind.

With thoughts of hatred and anger fueling his fury, Seviper used his sharp fangs and blade-like tail to take down every enemy in his sight. He did run into a couple of monster houses, but he was clever enough to lure them into a thin passageway in the woods where they could only get at him one at a time. He struck down enemy after enemy, pretending that each enemy was a member of Team Razor Wind.

Finally, he made it to the part of the woods where the missing Zangoose was supposed to be. Suddenly, he heard the most beautiful singing and was nothing short of charmed. As if he was hypnotized, he slithered toward the voice. It was sweet and gentle, yet strong and firm. It was also female.

When the singing grew louder, he knew he was close. He poked his head through a bush and saw a heavily injured female Zangoose singing as she held her wounds. Normally, he would have attacked her on the spot, but he didn't. He couldn't. He wasn't sure why, and he didn't want to, but he felt…an attraction towards her. Was it a trick? No, she was in too poor a condition to pull a trick like that.

"Excussse me, Missss…" Seviper hissed as he slithered out. "Are you, perhapsss, in need of a ressscue?"

"G-get back!" the injured Zangoose yelled and started hissing at him. She stopped when her wounds flared up in pain. "Darn it all! I can't…" She was crying in pain and humiliation. Seviper felt guilty, but why? He normally hated Zangoose. What was so special about this female? Did he pity her? No, it was something else that he couldn't put into words.

"No need to worry. I'm here to bring you home," Seviper explained, trying to sound soothing. It wasn't easy when your species naturally had a hissing lisp, not to mention physical features that one would normally find menacing.

"W-what…?" the she-Zangoose stammered questioningly, which Seviper found cute. "Is this a joke…?"

"No! No, I ssswear it's not! I'm an explorer! Look!" Seviper pulled his badge out of his Treasure Bag.

"A Silver Rank…?" Zangoose said as she squinted. She was dizzy and unable to move. "It's over for me…"

"No, it's not. I'll keep you sssafe, now that I found you," Seviper promised intently. The more he thought about it, the more his hiss seemed like a turn-off. He would have to do something about it. He wasn't sure why he sounded so intent, but he was determined to keep this female out of further harm's way, even if she was a Zangoose. He coiled himself around her and maneuvered himself to prop her up. Then, he used the Escapist skill that was essential for every explorer to know for a rescue and got the two of them out.

Back at the guild, none other than the members of Team Razor Wind were waiting for the rescue of that female Zangoose. The Zangoose that led Team Razor Wind was growing impatient. "I swear, if anything happened to her—"

"Zangoose, calm down!" Scyther pleaded. "Word is that a capable lone explorer went out to look for her. You know as well as I do that you'd have to be the strongest of the strong to make it solo in this world."

"Doesn't she have a nickname to tell you two apart?" Sandslash asked.

"…Razara. We always called her Razara when we were little," Zangoose admitted. "If anything happened to her…"

"I assure you, the explorer who came in is a semi-regular here, and he's really strong," Piplup assured. "He'll go Gold Rank after this. I'm sure of it."

"Who is he?" Zangoose asked. "Who's rescuing Razara?"

"The explorer Seviper!" Piplup proudly informed him, completely forgetting about the feud encoded in the genes of the species of Zangoose and Seviper.

"WHAT THE—?!" Zangoose was livid.

"Did I say something I shouldn't have?" Piplup asked innocently.

Sandslash checked Zangoose's blood pressure. The quill-covered mouse was shocked. "210 over 80?! Holy Mother Mew on the head of a rampaging Steelix! Wait a second. Is that good or bad?"

"I don't remember. I think that's bad…" Piplup answered hesitantly, having no memory of what he learned about blood pressure when he was a human.

"You're such an amnesiac," Scyther commented harshly.

"I can't help it…" Piplup whined.

"Guild Master! Guild Master!" Little Azurill bounced over hurriedly. "The rescuer and rescued are back in town, but the rescued Zangoose was found gravely injured by the rescuer Seviper. He brought her right over to Audino's for treatment."

"Okay! Good job, Azurill! Thanks!" Piplup nodded and urged Team Razor Wind to follow him to Audino's Hospital and Daycare.

"RAZARA!" Zangoose burst into the hospital to find the female Zangoose with the male Seviper. With one look of the scar adjacent to the snake's eye, the male Zangoose snarled, "You!"

"You!" Seviper hissed with an equal amount of disgust and loathing.

"Brother!" the female Zangoose, evidently Razara, exclaimed cheerfully.

"Brother?!" Seviper gasped in shock.

"Razara, did this mush-for-brains snake hurt you?" Zangoose demanded, furious about the presence of the scarred Seviper. Razara! Seviper nearly oozed at the sound of her name.

"No, Brother. Actually, he was very good to me in spite of our heritage," Razara reported. "He said I have the voice of an angel!"

"Well, that's just stating the obvious! He's not just any Seviper! He's the one I fought before from Team Grand Serpent!" Zangoose snarled.

"You two…you've fought before?" Razara questioned.

"Yeah. I'll never forget it. After all, that wasss the fight that almossst took my eye," Seviper hissed.

"Awkward," Piplup muttered. Yes, it was awkward. Very awkward. "Ah, I don't know what to do… The one who is kind of good with this stuff is—"

"Piplup, come here! You've got to see something!" Chimchar yelled as he pulled Piplup out of the tent. Before them stood a Riolu with glasses. "Do you know who this is?"

"A fan boy," Piplup guessed.

"No! This is Thomas! _Our_ Thomas from the human world! It's his spirit! I can feel it!" Chimchar insisted.

"But Thomas is a Turtwig!" Piplup argued.

"I don't know, either, you guys. All I know is now I am what would be technically considered a 'baby Pokémon', but I do kind of like this form better," the Riolu stated. Sure enough, it was a voice they recognized.

"Tom, it is you!" Piplup gasped. "How—who—what the…? I need to lie down!"

"Like I said, I have no idea. I just thought I'd come back and say hi and…I came back as a Riolu," Thomas claimed.

"Do you feel different?" Chimchar asked.

"I wouldn't say so. I'm sure my speed, strength, and moves have changed, perhaps for the better, but I don't feel like anything else has changed. My IQ, nature, level, and all that other good stuff remained constant," Thomas stated. "Let's see… I tested out my moves earlier. I can use Iron Tail, Force Palm, Reversal, and Copycat."

"Okay, I'm convinced. You're probably going to cause some heart attacks later," Piplup informed him.

"That's a given, old friend," the Riolu said with a smirk and a laugh. He heard shouting from inside the hospital. "Uh…what's going on in there?"

"A feud," Piplup sighed. "Can you please do something? This is kind of up your alley."

"Alright," Thomas sighed and went in. The shouting ceased, and a grumpy Zangoose was dragged out by his teammates. The Riolu came back out.

"What did you say?" Chimchar asked, curious.

"That they'd sacrifice their integrity and reliability as explorers if they started a slaughter-fest in a hospital," Thomas answered, adjusting his glasses.

Meanwhile, inside, Razara was ordered to get plenty of rest. She apologized on her brother's behalf. "Seviper, I am so, so, so sorry about that! I-I think you're actually not half bad for a Seviper! Uh, I-I didn't mean it as an insult!"

"It'sss okay. I know what you meant," Seviper told her reassuringly.

"Well…" Razara blushed. "Thank you for rescuing me. This, along with your reward, is a token of my appreciation!" She then kissed him on the cheek, which caused the viper to blush. "I promise I'll come up with a cute nickname for you!"

"I-I don't think that's necessssary, but thank you," Seviper thanked her as he slithered out of the hospital. Out loud, he said, "I think I'm in love…"


	2. The Second Meeting

**Here's chapter two. Before we start, let us give thanks for our health, for our freedom, for Fan Fiction, etc.**

…

**Well, that's that. Happy Thanksgiving to all! Enjoy the story and the turkey!**

**Eevee: I'm thankful for Oshawott!**

**Oshawott: And I'm thankful for my team and my beloved Eevee-kit!**

**Piplup: For Chimchar.**

**Wigglytuff: For friendship and Perfect Apples! **

**Chapter 2: The Second Meeting**

Rather than going to the guild first thing the next morning, the scarred Seviper went to Audino's to see how Razara was doing. In his fanged mouth was a bouquet of flowers. He found Razara sitting up in bed, humming that beautiful tune she sang the day before as she gazed out the window. When she became aware of his presence, she was at first frightened, but then eased when she saw that it was him.

"Hey," Seviper greeted as he dropped the flowers onto Razara's lap.

"You got flowers for me? Seviper, that's…that's so sweet of you," she said, deeply touched by his kindness. She had always been taught that Seviper were a ruthless and vindictive species, but this one was different. He was thoughtful, strong, and caring. What could she believe now?

"It'sss the gentlemanly thing to do," Seviper responded, blushing. Just thinking about her kiss made his cold blooded face heat right up. "Out of curiosssity, what isss it you plan to do once you're dissscharged? Do you have a place to go?"

"Well, to be honest, I want to see what working under Spinda is like, and a Spinda's Café opened up here recently. I'm sure you already know that, though. I was thinking about being a waitress. It's hard, but it seems like fun once you get used to it," Razara answered, ending with a slight giggle and pleasant smile.

"Well, I admire the fact that you have a plan, and I would definitely want you waiting my table," Seviper informed her sincerely.

"Really? Aww, thank you! I also wouldn't mind trying my claws at exploring. In fact, I was trying to clear Midnight Forest as an exploration when I was attacked from behind," Razara confessed.

"That'sss dessspicable! Attacking a beautiful maiden from behind like that isss ssso cruel and unfair!" Seviper hissed angrily at the thought of something or someone attacking Razara from behind. "Not to mention rude!"

"Seviper…" Razara spoke softly. Her eyes seemed to sparkle.

"I'm going to go pick out a job. Would you like me to come back later?" Seviper asked, interested in her desires.

"Y-yes, please, if you don't mind. I'm sorry I was so rude to you yesterday… I don't know what came over me. Please forgive me," the female Zangoose bowed her head and begged for forgiveness.

"It'sss alright, Razara. I don't blame you," Seviper told her soothingly. He slithered out, sparing her one more glance and praying to Arceus above that she couldn't hear his fleeting heart. Once at the guild, he was looking over the Job Bulletin Board when a little Water-type Pokémon caught his eye. No, it was not Piplup nor was it Marill, an apprentice at the guild and Azurill's older brother. It was Oshawott, the leader of Team Poké Friends. "Hey, Oshawott, may I ssspeak with you?"

"Uh, sure, Seviper. What's up?" Oshawott came over and asked. Not only was he the leader of Team Poké Friends, but he was the boyfriend of an adorable Eevee who apprenticed at the guild. Everyone knew it because everyone knew that he risked his life several times for her and they were lovey-dovey as all get out.

"I need help talking to a beautiful female," Seviper explained it in short and sweet terms.

"You've found a snake who loves you!" Oshawott exclaimed cheerfully.

"Not exactly. She'sss a Zangoose," Seviper corrected him awkwardly.

"Oh. How the Muk does that work?" Oshawott asked, caught completely off guard by the viper's response.

"I haven't the ssslightest clue," Seviper hissed in frustration. "And her older brother isss the leader of Team Razor Wind, the one I fought before when I wasss ssstill the leader of Grand Serpent. My chancesss couldn't be bleaker!"

"You could say that again. This is a tough one," Oshawott sighed, not sure how to help a fellow explorer in his time of need. "You work hard! You deserve love! Does she at least like you?"

"Well, she hasssn't tried to rip my head off of my body, ssso that'sss a good sssign," Seviper hissed in response, wondering how Razara felt about him.

"Well, I don't know what to do. Just talk to her a lot and get to know her, I guess. I'm sorry, Seviper. I need to get to work. Remember: smiles go for miles!" Oshawott exclaimed cheerfully as he recited the third rule of Wigglytuff's Guild, which was a philosophy that the Poké Pals Guild felt the need to promote. It was a good saying. Words to live by.

"Hmm…" Seviper turned his attention back to the Job Bulletin Board. How could he be so infatuated with the sister of his blood enemy?

Meanwhile, Eevee was making rounds around town, running errands and mingling with her fellow Pokémon. She even visited her sister, Flareon, and her darling little nephew. Eevee had heard about a recently injured Zangoose and decided to stop in and say hello. That's what she felt her beloved Oshawott would do, so she would follow his example. Eevee entered and made her way to Razara, instantly recognizing her. "Razara?"

"Eevee! Hi!" Razara greeted. They had met once before. Razara was a past client who needed help looking for a lost item.

"What are you doing here?" Eevee asked, looking over the Zangoose's wounds.

"Well, Eevee, it's kind of a funny story… No, not funny! It was like something out of a dream…! The sweetest Seviper came to my rescue yesterday! I know it sounds wrong, but…it feels so right! I can't explain it. I was so rude to him, but he continued to be nice and sweet and gentle with me," Razara explained as she swooned. "But it turns out that my older brother fought him once before and gave him a really nasty scar next to his eye."

"I get that Zangoose and Seviper are natural enemies, which probably causes a lot of tension, but it sounds like you're falling head over paws for him," Eevee commented. She then noticed the flowers in a glass vase and flower petals on her lap. "Are those flowers from him?"

"Yeah," the Zangoose replied. "He put them on my lap, but I thought that they'd need water, so I put them in there. So…how do I talk to him? I think he likes me."

"Personally, I wasn't aware of how Oshawott felt until I was pretty much half dead and coughing up blood into the snow. I still feel bad about it…" Eevee's ears drooped, but then perked back up. "But if you're reading him correctly and feel the same way, you've got to talk to him and reel him in before he thinks you're not interested!"

"You're right. Thanks, Eevee!" Razara thanked her, her red eyes now filled to the brim with hope.

"You're welcome," Eevee replied as she walked out. She was happy that her friend and former client finally found love, but she was worried that it wouldn't work out. Then, she wondered if more Pokémon should have had nicknames. They were definitely a good way to tell Pokémon of the same species apart.

Meanwhile, at the guild, Thomas was telling Piplup and Chimchar what he had learned about Pokémon when he was back in his world. They were amazed. He told them about Mega Evolution and the different myths involving Yveltal, Xerneas, and Zygarde. Chimchar, completely awestruck, wondered, "I wonder if we can ever achieve Mega Evolution here in our world."

"I'm more amazed by the Pokémon said to bring life and destruction. Grovyle mentioned something like that not too long ago," Piplup added his opinion to the conversation.

"I find it all so fascinating! Boy, it's great to be back, and not to mention in a form I can seriously enjoy! I have paws that I can use to fight and grab stuff! Not to mention a really cool tail!" Thomas exclaimed, hugging his long, blue tail.

"Yep. Your personality has definitely stayed the same," Piplup commented.

"So, what kind of Pokémon have you trained in your world recently?" Chimchar asked curiously, remembering that the Riolu was a Pokémon Trainer in his home world.

"My Vileplume and Swampert all the way. And recently I've befriended a Braixen that I met as Fennekin and a Doublade that I met as a Honedge," Thomas answered. "I love Pokémon. It's an honor being one right now."

"Speaking of which, Piplup, I always sort of wondered what you looked like as a human," Chimchar wondered aloud as the attention shifted over to Piplup.

"You think I'd remember something like that?" Piplup asked defensively.

"Of course not! We're not putting you to it! You just can't help but wonder, though," Thomas replied, trying to ease his leader and companion.

"Maybe you'd take on your human form if you went to Thomas's world," Chimchar theorized.

"Somehow, I think I'd get in trouble with Palkia for that…" Thomas muttered.

At sundown, Seviper returned to the hospital with a wide variety of berries for Razara. She gratefully exclaimed, "Oh, wow! Thanks, Seviper! There're so many of them! Ooh, Cheri Berries!"

"Eat up. I got you plenty of Oran Berriesss, too. You need to get your ssstrength back," Seviper advised encouragingly.

"By the way, I got you something, too," Razara said as she gobbled up the berries. She held out a soft, pink, squishy candy in her paw. It was a Pink Gummi. "I hear that you Poison-types like these. Here! Open up." Seviper did as instructed and opened his gaping mouth, amazing the she-Zangoose at how wide his mouth could go. She let the Pink Gummi rest on his thin, forked tongue. "Okay. Close. Swallow." Again, Seviper did as he was told. The Pink Gummi was delicious!

"Thanksss, Razara! That'sss so kind of you!" Seviper said gratefully. He had never been treated so kindly by a Zangoose before, and he didn't have the urge to engage her in mortal combat. He only wanted to engage her in love. "Are you feeling better?"

"Much better, thanks to you! If you hadn't come to save me, I would've lost so much blood! And thanks to these berries, my wounds will heal so much faster now! Thanks, Seviper! I really owe you a lot!" Razara thanked him with a very emotional voice. "You've been so nice to me ever after the way I treated you and the way my brother treated you! Thank you, Seviper! Thank you!" She was practically crying, but not in the way she was the day before. These tears were different. They were…happy tears. They were tears of joy.

In an effort to wipe her tears, Seviper licked her face with his forked tongue. In spite of her tears, she giggled at the way it tickled her cheek. She wrapped her fluffy tail around his long, thin body. Her soft fur felt so good on his hard scales. They wouldn't have minded being there forever if Nurse Audino had not come along. She said to them, "I'm sorry, but visiting hours are over. You can come back tomorrow."

"I guessss that'sss my cue. Good night, Razara," Seviper bid her farewell and slithered out.

"Good night," Razara called out to him. She sighed dreamily as she watched him go.


	3. Enter Team Crush Fang

**Here's chapter three. Our favorite female Zangoose makes an important decision, and we get a good look at Seviper's resolve. Now if Razara could only come up with a nickname for Seviper…**

**Enjoy!**

**Chapter 3: Enter Team Crush Fang**

The next morning, the Poké Pals Guild started the day off with their morning cheers, and with Thomas the early riser back in town, that meant getting up an hour earlier. Either that or a wandering and bored Riolu.

"How can he survive on six hours of sleep…?" Piplup yawned. "It doesn't make sense… The guy's a nut…"

"I think it's awe-inspiring. And at least we know that that's our navigator/strategist in there," Chimchar said with a smile. "If his IQ really stayed the same, then he could go to Luminous Spring and evolve into Lucario anytime. So why wait?"

"By that logic, we could evolve anytime we wanted, too. We're beyond the required level," Piplup yawned.

"Do you need to hit the hay for a couple more hours, Master?" Chimchar asked teasingly.

"Yeah. Can you guys hand out assignments?" Piplup nodded drowsily and requested.

"Yes, of course, Guild Master," Chimchar and Thomas said as they saluted him.

"Thanks. Okay, you all listen up! Chimchar and Thomas the Riolu are putting you up to your assignments today! I'm going into my chamber for a nap…" Piplup announced and waddled back into his chamber.

"Okay! Excadrill, as per usual, you'll update the boards. Team Poké Friends, you'll do assignments from the Job Bulletin and Outlaw Notice Boards," Thomas assigned.

"Marill, Pachirisu, and Azurill, we need you to take a quick trip to Oran Forest and stock up on as many Oran Berries as you can find. You're all pretty strong for young kids, so we trust it'll be a breeze," Chimchar assigned.

"Basically, you're sending my brother and Pachirisu on a date and you want me to chaperone!" Azurill giggled as Marill and Pachirisu's faces turned Cheri Berry red.

"Minccino and Eevee are on sentry duty. Lastly, Spoink, you'll also be taking up jobs," Thomas concluded.

"I can't believe that it's him," Snivy muttered, referring to Thomas.

"This is even loonier than me," Pidove remarked quietly.

"How does anyone just change like that?" Spoink wondered.

"I'm getting a lot of bewildered stares from you all… Yes, it's really me. I don't know why I'm a Riolu now, but I'm not complaining. Now, come on! Work doesn't do itself!" Thomas said encouragingly. "Now, let's roll up our sleeves and get to work!"

"HOORAY!" the apprentices cheered and got to work.

Eevee, who was beneath the sentry grate, spotted Seviper. She called out, "Pokémon detected!"

"Whose footprint?" Minccino called from inside the guild.

"Uh…there is none! It looks like a serpent's body. Uh… Oh! It's Seviper! The Pokémon is Seviper!" Eevee called back. "Hey, Seviper! You know, you're a well liked guy!"

"What?" Seviper hissed into the grate, confused.

"Well, you seem like the kind of guy that females would love to be around," Eevee elaborated, trying not to completely spill out her friend and ex-client's feelings. "Do you happen to have your eye on someone?"

"Well…yesss," Seviper confessed. "I guessss Oshawott never got the chance to tell you. I've fallen for Razara…"

"The Zangoose?" Eevee asked, partly surprised to hear him say that. She had hoped that he would reciprocate Razara's feelings, but she never believed it would actually happen.

"Yesss. The very sssame one that wasss ressscued a few daysss ago," Seviper admitted.

"Wow! Well, I hope it works out well for you two. I'm pulling for you!" Eevee exclaimed supportively. This made Seviper do what would be a snake's version of smiling. In spite of how bizarre the union of a Zangoose and a Seviper sounded, there were Pokémon who believed that it could work.

Seviper slithered inside to find Team Razor Wind, and his blood started to boil. Trying to ignore his instinctive anger, he went over to the Outlaw Notice Board and looked at the bounties. There was a job to catch the outlaw Barbaracle, who was last seen in hiding near the Concealed Ruins. He decided on that job. The reward was, after the Poké Pals Guild's share was subtracted, 700 Poké. He was about to grab it with his blade-like tail when he was suddenly tail-to-claw with the Zangoose of Team Razor Wind. He hissed, "What, Zangoossse? You want thisss?"

"Yeah. You got a problem with that?" Zangoose asked roughly, ready to rumble in a moment's notice.

"Asss a matter of fact, I do. After all, I saw it firssst," Seviper hissed menacingly.

"Zangoose, c-come on! We can take another job!" Sandslash begged, not wanting his leader to start a fight inside the guild.

"Yeah! There are plenty of stronger outlaws for us to take on!" Scyther agreed as he started to pull his friend away.

"Keep your scaly self away from my sister!" Zangoose warned.

"I sssaved her life and she herssself sssaid that she enjoysss my company!" Seviper spat at him.

"Razara said that?" Zangoose ceased struggling to stand his ground against Scyther's pull. "Well…if that's how it is…and even though I don't like it, I'll accept how she feels. But if you even _think_ of hurting her, blood will answer blood."

"Agreed," Seviper seethed and took the Barbaracle job, leaving a growling Zangoose with his concerned teammates.

In the Concealed Ruins, he made his way down until he eventually caught up to Barbaracle. He readied himself, knowing that not only was Barbaracle very strong, but also that the Collective Pokémon's appendages had minds of their own. It would be like trying to predict the movements of seven opponents at once. The head of Barbaracle asked, "So you intend to catch us?"

"You refer to yourssself in the plural tenssse, but you are one entity. Interesssting," Seviper remarked. "I've heard that SSSpiritomb ssspeak in a sssimilar manner."

"Don't ignore us!" Barbaracle roared at him. "Explorers will never catch the Powerhouse Barbaracle!"

_That's right. Barbaracle is strong as it is, but his abilities are Tough Claws, which raises physical attack power, and Sniper, which gives a deadly boost to direct hits! I've got to stay sharp! _Seviper thought. _I'm not exploring for my sake anymore, but for Razara as well. I have to prove to myself that I am worthy of her!_

"Take this! Stone Edge!" Barbaracle fired the first attack. Seviper, making use of his flexible body, charged forward and dodged the razor sharp stones simultaneously. He planned to use Bite when he had an opening. He was getting closer and closer. Wait for it… Wait for it… He lunged, but was swatted out of the way by one of Barbaracle's arms. "Nice try, snake boy!"

"I'll show you!" Seviper hissed. "Have a tassste of my Poissson Fang, jerk!" He slithered in a zigzag pattern, trying to confuse the outlaw. He lunged again. Again, an arm came out at him, but he coiled around it this time. "That won't get me twice! I'm not fighting for myssself, sssee! There'sss sssomeone important to me that I have to prove myssself worthy of!" He bite into the Water- and Rock-type's hard body, trying to poison his foe.

"Nnh! Why you! We don't care about that! We're only here for the treasure and it matters not who gets in the way, worm!" Barbaracle shouted, smashing Seviper into the ancient stone wall. Dazed, Seviper coughed up some blood and loosened his grip on Barbaracle, falling onto the floor of the ruins.

"I will defeat you…" Seviper groaned. His head was pounding, but he couldn't give up. Razara would never take him as a mate if he gave up so easily. "Poison Fang!" Lunging at Barbaracle's leg, Seviper bit in, injecting as much poison as he could.

"Get off!" Barbaracle yelled as he kicked the viper off.

_This isn't good! I'm running low on energy… Vision…blurry… _Seviper grimaced.

"Get ready! Here we come!" Barbaracle warned, crossing his arms. "Cross Chop!" He was about to chop down on Seviper when something got in the way, intercepting with long claws.

"I thought you needed a helping paw," a sweet, beautiful voice giggled. Seviper's eyes widened in wonder. It was Razara!

"Drat…the arm and leg he bit…they are going numb…" Barbaracle groaned, Seviper's poison eating away at his strength. It certainly seemed to slow him down.

"Now, you're going down!" Razara assured Barbaracle. "Iron Tail!" With her fluffy tail turning steely, she smacked Barbaracle. "Now, follow up with Crush Claw!" She swiped at him with her sharp claws. In spite of the type disadvantage that the move had, it did very well against the outlaw. "I'll finish it with Thunderbolt!" She promptly zapped Barbaracle, knocking him out.

"Razara…" Seviper moaned, tears coming to his eyes.

"I owe you, you know," Razara reminded him with a smile. "The more I've thought about it, the more I think that what I'm about to ask is the best way to make it up to you."

"What are you…?" Seviper started to ask.

"Will you form an exploration team with me?" Razara asked. Seviper focused on the female Zangoose's eyes to stay conscious enough to nod. Excited, she exclaimed, "Alright! Then from this day forth, we're Team Crush Fang!"

"Team Crush Fang… I love it…" Seviper told her, almost blurting out that he loved _her_. "It'sss been a while sssince I've worked with othersss. I think I'll enjoy thisss…"

"And that Barbaracle is our first arrest," Razara decided. She gave Seviper an Oran Berry, and then she trussed up Barbaracle a smidgeon on the tight side.

Later, at the guild, Piplup was registering Razara as an official explorer and, therefore, was officiating Team Crush Fang. Piplup announced, "All registered! Chimchar, ready the towels!"

"Say what…?" Razara barely asked as Piplup blasted her with Hydro Pump. She was soon soaked and began to shake her drenched fur dry. Chimchar gave her a towel, and that was when she noticed her new Explorer Badge. "The gem is silver…"

"Well, you've formed a team with a Silver Rank explorer. What'd you expect?" Piplup asked rhetorically.

"Congratulations, Razara!" Thomas congratulated her. He turned to Seviper and said, "Congrats to you, too, Seviper!"

"Thank you…" Seviper absentmindedly thanked him. He blushed and thought of all the good times he would soon have with Razara.

"Actually, we could probably stand to have new guild members. You feel up to it?" Piplup offered. Razara looked hopefully at Seviper. There was no way he could have said no. They were teammates now, not to mention he didn't want to displease her, so all he could do was nod.

"Yes! Oh, thank you, Seviper! Remind me to give you a nickname later!" Razara exclaimed and kissed Seviper between the eyes.

"Alright! Our head count is up to thirteen!" Thomas exclaimed.

"Welcome, welcome!" Piplup welcomed them into the guild. "Welcome, dear new friends! Since Seviper has prior experience, we won't go through the basic training that we do with everyone else."

"Ooh! I can't wait to be your student, Seviper!" the she-Zangoose exclaimed as she cuddled up to him.

"We ought to get you a school girl uniform!" Thomas humorously suggested.

"What's a school girl?" Razara asked. She was confused, as was everyone else. "Is that a human thing?"

"Well…yeah," the Riolu admitted.


	4. The First Collaborative Mission

**Here's Team Crush Fang's first mission. What can I say? I like these type of missions. They're very rewarding and fun. What kind of mission is it? Well, read and find out. Enjoy! **

**Chapter 4: First Collaborative Mission**

The next morning, everyone was pleasantly surprised to see the two new recruits that consisted of the shocking duo of a Zangoose and a Seviper. It was when they were about to be introduced to the other apprentices that Razara suddenly came up with a nickname for her more experience Seviper partner. "Venn! I'll call you Venn! It's short for 'venom'."

"Venn the Seviper. It kind of has a nice ring to it. Kind of," Piplup said pleasantly. "Okay, Pokémon, listen up, but I'd rather you listen forward towards me! These are your new guild mates! They are not to be treated any differently that you'd treat your own family unless you don't like your family!"

"Can I be the crazy uncle?" Pidove raised a wing and asked.

"Nope. Thomas is already the crazy uncle," Chimchar denied Pidove the opportunity to call himself the crazy uncle of the guild.

"Why?! He's not an uncle! This is an outrage!" Pidove demanded.

"I have relatives and extended family back home, you know," the Riolu reminded Pidove with a sigh.

"Venn the SSSeviper. I'll have to get usssed to it, but I love it," Seviper hissed pleasantly, his tongue poking and vibrating out of his fanged mouth. Unfortunately, since he was only ever known as Seviper, seldom 'the scarred snake', he didn't think he'd ever get used to it.

"Okay, let's start with the morning cheer," Piplup decided. He adapted his own morning cheer from Wigglytuff's. He felt so unoriginal about it, but those are the philosophies he trained by, and with no prior memories, he didn't have experiences to base his own philosophies on prior to joining the guild.

"ONE! JOBS NOT DONE ARE NOT FUN!" the apprentices cheered.

"They know it by heart. As they should," Thomas said approvingly. "I knew the guild was in capable flippers."

"TWO! DON'T TAKE A SNOOZE! PAY YOUR DUES!" they continued.

"Yep. So what else have you been up to?" Chimchar asked curiously.

"THREE! SMILES GO FOR MILES!" the apprentices concluded their cheers.

"The usual. School stuff. Ranger duties. Training. I've always loved guild life, so I looked into the kinds of guilds in my world to see what I think," Thomas explained to Chimchar.

"Cool. What? Is that it? No details?" Chimchar asked teasingly.

"Not now. It's not the time," the Riolu muttered.

"Okay, Pokémon! Let's make it a great day! Better than yesterday! Heck, aim for better than an hour ago!" Piplup cheered.

"HOORAY!" the Pokémon cheered.

"Ah, you two," Chimchar hopped over to Razara and Seviper, whose name was now Venn.

"Hi! So, what's up? I'm ready for whatever you throw at me!" Razara boasted. She seemed pumped and raring to go.

"I like your spunk. Alright. You'll do jobs posted on the Job Bulletin and Outlaw Notice Boards," Chimchar informed them with a kind smile. It got him fired up to see the apprentices fired up. The flame on his rear would occasionally double in size due to how excited he got by enthusiastic young explorers (though he was fairly young himself).

"Alright! Come on, Venn!" Razara zoomed over to the Outlaw Notice Board. She called over to the Seviper. "Venn!"

"Oh, right! I'm Venn! I told you it'd take getting usssed to," the Seviper mumbled as he slithered over to the board.

"You don't like the name 'Venn'?" Razara asked, somewhat heartbroken.

"I do, I do! It just hasssn't sssunk in yet. I've been SSSeviper all my life, ssso the name change isss just…sssudden," the Seviper explained.

"You can stay Seviper if that'll be easier for you," Razara told him. "Just tell me how you feel, alright?"

"Al-alright," Seviper stammered. He felt so blessed to have not only a beautiful partner, but an understanding one as well.

"OKAY, EVERYONE! WE DECIDED THAT HE'S STAYING SEVIPER!" Razara announced at the top of her lungs, which mortified him.

"Shh! Let'sss not disturb the others! Here, how about thisss outlaw?" Seviper grabbed a job paper.

Razara read it aloud, "It's titled 'Criminal Mastermind Vespiquen. She hides behind the dwellers of her hive she can make a clean getaway. On her own, she's strong. With her band of Combee thieves, she's ruthless.'"

"Where at?" Seviper asked, felling guilty about 'Venn' falling through so quickly.

"It looks like they were last seen near Foggy Forest," Razara declared as she examined the job. "Vespiquen's got a pretty big bounty. Our share, also known as the explorers' ten percent, comes out to 800 Poké. She must be strong if her actual bounty is 8,000 Poké."

"Foggy Forest would be a good place for outlawsss to hide. The woodsss are thick asss it standsss, but the fog concealsss nearly everything that residesss there," Seviper pointed out. "She'sss a clever bee."

"Not too clever for the great Team Crush Fang!" Razara exclaimed enthusiastically. "Plus, if they try anything, neither of us can get poisoned. You're already a Poison-type and my Ability is Immunity. With your venom and my claws, we'll bring the whole hive in and be done before dinner!"

"Isss thisss your first job?" Seviper asked curiously.

"Officially, yes. My brother would sometimes bring me out with his team just to get training in. They're such nice guys, and so are you. That's why I think it's such a shame that you and my brother have such an awful history," Razara explained.

They went into the dungeon, not saying much until they were hiding in some bushes, spying on Vespiquen and her hive taking inventory on their treasure. Razara asked, "Can't I just zap them? I don't know Thunderbolt for nothing."

"No. We need to strategize. The fog cutsss the effectivenessss of your Thunderbolt and all other Electric-type movesss," Seviper hissed, waiting patiently for the right moment. "Your Thunderbolt could be a great distraction and a good way to break through that defensssive wall of Combee."

"Then, you'll go in for the kill?" the Zangoose asked, hoping for confirmation.

The Seviper seemed to smirk. "Only if you'll be there to back me up."

"You got it," Razara said, licked Seviper's nose. She ran off, and just in time, too. Her tongue felt fantastic on his scaly skin that it sent ecstatic shivers down his spine. He recovered and watched for her.

"Lady Vespiquen, I feel like we're being watched," one of the Combee buzzed.

"Hmm…be on high alert, my child," Vespiquen instructed as she counted the money she had.

"Yes, Lady Vespiquen," the Combee droned. Just then, the sound of thunder reverberated through the forest, along with several shrill cries. There laid several Combee by Razara's feet.

"Who the heck are you? Are you supposed to be an explorer?" Vespiquen demanded.

"Yeah, and I'm going to apprehend you. My name is Zangoose, but you can call me Razara," Razara introduced herself. "I'm representing the Poké Pals Guild. Prepare to lose."

"Even without my Combee, I'm a force to be reckoned with, you naïve little girl!" Vespiquen warned and suddenly disappeared.

"Where'd you go, coward?!" Razara demanded, looking around her. Seviper looked up and his eyes widened. Their target was above her, and she was ready to strike.

"Power Gem!" Vespiquen fired the Rock-type move from above Razara. The Zangoose looked up in surprise. Her eyes widened with fear.

"Razara!" Seviper lunged at her, tackling her and pushing her out of the way of the attack. He took the hit.

"SEVIPER!" Razara cried out as tears fell. "That's it!" She jumped up into the air, adrenaline and anger fueling her. "Take this! Crush Claw!"

"I'll match it with Slash!" Vespiquen announced as she started intercepting Razara's Crush Claw with Slash. They were evenly matched in attack power.

"Is this the extent of your power?" Razara scoffed as she jabbed her claws at the Bug- and Flying-type.

"And what if it is? I can still withstand more hits than you, I'm quite sure," Vespiquen boasted.

"Even so, you'll never knock out my partner with those flimsy attacks!" Razara said and grunted when she was finally able to land a hit.

"Ooh! I'll show you, girl! Power Gem!" Vespiquen was about to blast Razara. The crystal beam was fired, but Seviper was suddenly between them, cutting the attack in half with his blade-like tail. "What?! You?!"

"Your hit wasss sssolid, to sssay the least," Seviper hissed and hit Vespiquen with an extra hard Poison Tail.

"Curse you!" Vespiquen rasped as she went down. Seviper coiled himself around Razara and braced for impact. The impact wasn't very hard. They landed in a tree. Vespiquen was on the ground, struggling to get up. "Heal Order…"

"Oh, no! Razara, you've got to stop her now!" Seviper exclaimed, knowing that a move like Heal Order could only mean bad news for them.

Like lightning, the female Zangoose responded. She lunged out of the tree at Vespiquen. "Iron Tail!" She hit the great bee with her now-steely tail. After landing the hit, her tail reverted to its normal fluffiness, and Vespiquen took advantage of that. She grabbed Razara by her tail and flung her into a tree.

"You want some?!" Vespiquen roared.

"This isss like nothing I've ssseen…" Seviper groaned due to injury. "I need an Oran Berry." He poked his head into the Treasure Bag, desperately looking for one.

"Crush Claw!" Razara yelled as she lunged at Vespiquen, quickly and thoroughly striking her with her claws. Vespiquen was countering with Slash. The attacks when back and forth and they were so quick that their arms were blurs of unbridled fury.

"You can't beat me! How can you and that Seviper work so well anyway?! It defies nature! Of the two of us, how am _I_ the criminal?" Vespiquen demanded.

"Shut up! You could never understand what it means to feel this way! You enjoy only gaining for yourself! You attack the weak and revel in it! You don't know what it means to show love and compassion!" Razara growled with tears in her eyes. "He's shown me more love and compassion in the past few days than you could stomach in a lifetime!" She managed to land a finishing blow to the abdomen. Vespiquen went down without another word. Panting, the Zangoose spat and apprehended the queen bee.

"Hey… Sssorry I wasssn't of much help," Seviper apologized as he slithered up to Razara, rejuvenated.

"Are you kidding? You saved my tail twice in a single battle!" Razara exclaimed cheerfully, happy to see that her companion was alright.


	5. A Day at the Hot Spring

**Sorry for the late update. I know this chapter isn't long, but it's very eventful. Enjoy!**

**Chapter 5: A Day at the Hot Spring**

Two weeks had gone by since Razara and Seviper formed Team Crush Fang. They were falling fast for each other. Otherwise, it was a relatively uneventful two weeks. They had taken up jobs, taken down some outlaws, and pulled off some rescues. Such happenings were of the life of an exploration team.

However, one day was just a bit different…

"A day off?" Razara echoed Chimchar's words. She looked perplexed. "Why would we take a day off?"

"Well, you two have been working extra hard trying to fit in with the rest of the guild, so the Guild Master decided to give you two a day to yourselves. I recommend going to the Hot Spring," Chimchar elaborated, keeping the real motive for the day off in the back of his mind. "I think Oshawott and Eevee said something about going there."

"What about the rest of Oshawott'sss team?" Seviper inquired.

"Well, Tepig is training at Sawk and Throh's. Snivy opted to stay here and study. She'll probably end up reading something for pleasure. Maybe. Pidove…well, let's not go there," Chimchar answered. "Why don't you two go with Eevee and Oshawott?"

"Sure!" Razara squealed excitedly.

"Sssoundsss like it will be relaxing," Seviper mused. He veered his head around. "Where are they?"

"I think they're on their way to the northwestern gate right now. I could have Thomas check with his Spatial Awareness, if you want," the fire chimp offered.

"No thanks! We'll get going! Thanks, Chimchar, and thank the master for us!" Razara exclaimed happily as she raced out of the guild with Seviper in hot pursuit.

"Those forbidden lovers. They really are cute," Chimchar chuckled to himself.

Meanwhile, Oshawott and his beloved Eevee were about to depart from Mountain Pass Town when they heard a voice call out, "Wait for us!"

"Huh? That voice…" Eevee's ears perked up and she turned around. She saw a Zangoose and a Seviper. Her face lit up.

"Is that Seviper?" Oshawott squinted and asked.

"Yeah! Razara's with him!" Eevee said ecstatically. Her tail wagged rapidly.

Soon enough, Seviper and Razara the Zangoose caught up to the younger couple. The four of them travelled together to the Hot Spring, trekking the path in a formation of two-by-two. Razara and Seviper walked (or slithered in Seviper's case) quietly as Oshawott and Eevee discussed well-known explorers.

"Greninja has a cool team. The moves they pull off are so disciplined and precise! Chesnaught's really strong, too! A battle with either of them would be exhilarating and terrifying," Oshawott said to his beloved.

"Well, you have a point. I'd prefer Delphox and her team. She's strong and elegant, not to mention a genius," Eevee debated. "Now that I think about it, don't Greninja, Delphox, and Chesnaught have kids our age?"

"I think I heard something like that," Oshawott said with uncertainty. "Team A.C.T. is strong. So is Team Charm. Wow, I have high standards to live up to!"

"You just be you," Eevee advised and licked his cheek.

"Okay," Oshawott complied, blushing.

Both Seviper and Razara watched on, secretly hoping they could be as close as Oshawott and Eevee someday.

Finally, they got to the Hot Spring, and when they did, they were pleasantly surprised. Vaporeon, one of Eevee's older sisters, was there with a Samurott. Eevee delightedly squealed, "Big Sister!"

"Hey, Little Sis!" Vaporeon gasped gleefully and greeted her younger sister. "Samurott, this is my little sister, Eevee, and her boyfriend—"

"Oshawott…" Samurott gazed at Oshawott in surprise. It seemed like they new each other, and Seviper deduced that from the way they looked at each other.

"Sensei, it's been a long time," Oshawott said with an awestruck voice.

"They know each other?" Razara asked rhetorically. She chuckled. "Small world, huh?"

"Sensei, I never expected to see you here," Oshawott claimed.

"Nor I you. How is guild life?" Samurott inquired.

"Pretty good. I've met the love of my life," Oshawott answered and wrapped his arm around Eevee's furry neck.

"That makes two of us!" Samurott announced with a hearty chuckle. A bright red blush spread across Vaporeon's face.

As the others conversed, Razara and Seviper decided it was time to get into the naturally heated pool. The Treasure Town elder, Torkoal, was shocked to see them. He gasped, "A Zangoose and a Seviper? Y-you're not going to try to fight for your species, are you? This is no place for violence!"

"We're here together," Razara informed him.

"Hmm?" Torkoal let what Razara said sink in. Then, he started chuckling.

"Sssomething funny?" Seviper inquired, somewhat annoyed.

"Oh? Me? No, not funny. Oh ho, don't mind an old fart like me," Torkoal chuckled.

"Hey, now, don't say that, Torkoal! You're well known as a wise Pokémon in these parts," Razara informed him.

"Oh my stars, young girl, you flatter me!" Torkoal blushed, but it was difficult to see due to his orangey red skin.

Throughout their stay at the Hot Springs, Razara gradually grew closer to Seviper until her body was pressed up against his. Seviper stammered, "R-Razara, I, well…never mind."

"No, no. Tell me. You're not keeping secrets from your partner, mister," Razara urged, not taking 'no' for an answer.

"Well, you sssee, I—well, ever sssince I met you, I—um…I think I—" Seviper was unsure of how to say what he wanted to say.

"Spit it out!" Razara shouted, annoyed.

"I love you!" Seviper blurted out. Razara gasped and blushed intensely. Seviper gulped, feeling nothing short of doomed. "Razara…"

"Well," Razara inhaled sharply, "what if I told you the feeling was mutual?"

"I'd be the happiest Pokémon alive," Seviper replied, heart racing due to anxiety.

"Arguably," the Zangoose replied. "I'm the happiest Pokémon alive right now."

"Ssso…"

"I love you, too. Admittedly, I hated you at first, but…you're everything I'd want in a mate…"

"Ssso, does that make us…?"

With a smirk, Razara replied, "We'll see."


	6. The Mountain of Wings

**Here's chapter six, filled with golden opportunities for the lovers of this story. Enjoy, everyone!**

**Chapter 6: The Mountain of Wings**

Days went by as days often did, and Guild Master Piplup had a special assignment for the members of Team Crush Fang. It would be a dangerous, yet exciting task for any explorer, and this was Piplup's way of celebrating Team Crush Fang's recent rise to Gold Rank.

"You want usss to explore Mt. Missstral?" Seviper inquired.

"That's what the Master said," Chimchar said in confirmation. "I'll show you where it is. Here, open up your Wonder Map." Razara did as instructed and laid the map down on the floor. Chimchar pointed to the diagram of an island. "It's a little far, but it's on this island here in the northwest. See the mountain with the air currents around it?"

"Right there on the peninsula?" Razara asked.

"Yep. That's the one. There's where you're going. This could be a great training opportunity. Plus, you could be bringing home lots of treasure," Chimchar informed them, which piqued their interest. "Those winds on the map aren't just for show. This mountain is home to lots of airborne Pokémon. There's a rumor that even a legendary bird roams the skies around there."

"You're advisssing usss to be careful becaussse of their ssspeed and evasssivenessss, correct?" Seviper hissed a very interesting question. He received a simple nod as his answer.

Chimchar suddenly noticed that the female Zangoose was wearing a strange gold part around her neck. He asked, "Is that a Mystery Part?"

"Yeah! Sure is! We helped an archeologist by the name of Garchomp prospect it. He was so grateful that he let us keep it," Razara explained. "I don't know why he needed help. He was so strong! Maybe even stronger than my strong, attractive partner here." Realizing what she had just said, she blushed and hid her face with her claws.

"Alright. Wow! What a story! Well, you two have a job to do. Jobs undone are not fun!" Chimchar urged, practically shoving the twosome out the door.

"I think they'll meet the legendary Pokémon," Thomas hypothesized. "There's something about Mystery Parts and Secret Slabs that seem to attract legendary Pokémon. Hey, I'm going into Mystery Jungle for a little bit."

"I thought you'd pop into your master's place and say hi," Chimchar claimed with a smirk.

"Not this time. I don't think Master Palkia likes it when I show up unannounced, so I try to let him know beforehand," the Riolu responded as he got a Treasure Bag ready for his exploration.

"Okay. If you see Mew, say hi for me," Chimchar requested.

Meanwhile, Razara and Seviper had set sail towards the northwestern island. Razara was amazed when the island came into view. She exclaimed, "Wow! I've never seen a volcanic island before! This is so, so, so cool!"

"You've never been off the mainland, have you?" Seviper asked her flatly. She shook her head and started bouncing excitedly. He didn't mind. A wise Pokémon once told him 'if you don't like it when the boat rocks, why bother getting on it?'

"So, from what I understand, Mt. Mistral is the only mountain on this island that isn't volcanic," Razara deduced.

"That'sss right," Seviper confirmed the validity of her deduction. "I'm excited to sssee how thisss will unfold."

"Me, too," Razara agreed.

They slightly altered their course so they could sail around the island to the peninsula where Mt. Mistral stood in all its glory. There it was. Making sure they were prepared, they zoomed into the dungeon, releasing the excitement that they had restrained on their tiny sailboat. Their prior knowledge on the mountain was valid. Above them flew several Pokémon, including, but not limited to Jumpluff, Vivillon, Staraptor, Gliscor, Pidgeot, Talonflame, and Fearow. Seviper glanced at his partner and found her awestruck gaze to be on divine levels of beautiful and adorable.

As they travelled up the mountain, they were granted the opportunity to take on several of these airborne Pokémon. Razara's Thunderbolt proved to be very useful in the dungeon. Chimchar had been nothing short of correct when he said that it would be a good time to get stronger. The Pokémon indigenous to Mt. Mistral were also opportune in fighting with a disadvantage in movement. Plus, they were alone together.

"Seviper, look out!" Razara shouted and attacked a Fearow with Crush Claw.

"Thanksss! Let me return the favor!" Seviper hissed and struck an attacking Aerodactyl with Poison Fang. They weren't seven halfway up the mountain and it suddenly started raining. It was pouring sheets. "We ought to find cover."

"Yeah!" Razara agreed. She was already sopping wet. The rainwater had drenched her fur completely. There was something about her being soaked to the skin that made Seviper want to coil around her and kiss her. So, that's what he did, and he caught her completely off guard. "What'd you do that for?"

"Wasss that weird?" Seviper asked, slightly discouraged by her outburst.

"W-well, your kind isn't really the best kissing species," Razara mumbled. Panicking, she suddenly said, "I don't mean that as an offense! I just think that, with the shape of your mouth, you—" She was cut off when Seviper tried kissing her again. As strange as it felt, it was…nice.

"Sssweet Arceus," Seviper gasped as he pulled away.

"W-we should keep climbing," Razara suggested. In the pouring rain, they continued up the mountain. The fierce winds were not making the journey any lovelier. It was a sharp, bitter combination of wind and rain that felt like it went right through you. However, the rain eventually stopped, as rains do, and the duo was almost to the top when they saw the most beautiful rainbow.

"A rainbow…" Seviper gasped.

"It's so pretty!" Razara exclaimed in admiration as she shook her fur dry. "I don't think I've ever seen a rainbow before, either. At least, not one as pretty as this."

"It'sss ssso vivid!" Seviper hissed softly. His mind was submerged in awe. Then, something had reeled in his attention.

In the center of the colorful arc was a glorious bird Pokémon. For the most part, its feathers were a reddish orange, but it had green and white feathers lining the wings and its tail feathers and comb were a glistening gold. The Pokémon's glorious and iridescent appearance was like none that either member of Team Crush Fang had ever witnessed before.

It was a beautiful scene. It could have been considered a wonder of the natural world. Seviper and Razara looked into each other's eyes. They were completely enamored with each other. Once again, they tried kissing. They loved it.


	7. A Duel

**Hey, all! This is the last chapter. I decided to draw it to a close with one more mission. I hope you all enjoyed the story. Thanks for your support! I hope you all enjoy this last chapter.**

**Chapter 7: A Duel**

When Team Crush Fang got back to the guild, they made a very important announcement having to do with their adventure on Mt. Mistral. Word of it spread like wildfire, and it eventually reached the ears of Team Razor Wind. Zangoose growled, "I know I approved them being together, but I didn't think they'd go this far so soon! That snake!"

"Zangoose, it's not a big deal," Scyther tried to soothe his leader. "Tell him, Sandslash!"

"I should probably write to Linoone. I think she misses me," Sandslash commented to himself, not listening to the conversation. "You say something, Scyther?"

"Never mind," Scyther mumbled.

"I should at least see if he's worthy of her. Reputation alone won't cut it," Zangoose decided.

Thus, Zangoose had written a formal challenge letter. He was going to challenge Seviper to a duel in Landslide Cave. That was the plan.

Chimchar had given Seviper a letter addressed to him the very next morning. Razara was shocked when she took it from Seviper and read it for herself. She groaned, "Ugh! He's probably just being a big baby because I chose a Seviper as my life mate. Seviper, you really can't go through with this."

"I think it sssoundsss like fun," Seviper disagreed, which caused Razara to fall over in shock. "What? He wantsss a fight. I'll give him a fight."

"You're out of your mind! We just decided to be together forever! I don't want my mate and my brother killing each other!" Razara protested.

"We won't take it that far," Seviper assured, trying to mask the doubt in his voice.

Reluctantly, Razara accompanied her newlywed to the site of the battle. The terms of the duel were just her brother versus her lover. No outside assistance from either team. It was a battle of leaders based on an instinctive hatred.

The battle began. Seviper launched his signature Poison Fang. He struck his opponent, but since Zangoose was immune to poison, Seviper's signature move was only dealing damage. It wasn't slowing Zangoose down in the slightest. Zangoose then launched a Crush Claw, hitting Seviper, who regained his composure and went in for a Poison Tail attack, jabbing at Zangoose with his blade-like tail. Back and forth, the attacks flew. The two rival Pokémon were blurs in their intense fight. Scyther and Sandslash were blown away by how fiercely their leader was fighting. The two opponents just kept striking each other, and neither was willing to give an inch.

Zangoose struck Seviper with a Slash and demanded, "Why have you taken my sister as your life mate? Do you truly love her?!"

"With all my heart, I do!" Seviper hissed and used Bite to clamp Zangoose's tail in his sharp teeth.

Razara trembled in her place as she watched. She prayed that they wouldn't tear each other to shreds, but the end of the battle was nowhere in sight. The continuous jabbing and clawing and cutting and biting resulted in bloodshed on both sides, but still they fought. It was enough to make the female Zangoose burst into tears and shout, "Stop! Stop it!"

Suddenly, a small, blue, bespectacled Riolu got between the Poison- and Normal-type Pokémon and broke up the duel with a double Force Palm. It was none other than the Poké Pals' Thomas the Riolu. He was accompanied by, shockingly, the legendary Pokémon Mew. Thomas said to the two duelists, "Look at yourselves. I know it's only in your genes, and I respect that completely, but isn't this a little excessive? You're both bleeding from Arceus-knows-where, neither of you have the energy to fight anymore, and the lady said 'stop'."

"I sssuppossse we did get a little carried away," Seviper hissed.

"Yeah…" Zangoose muttered in agreement.

"But you did prove that the Master's intuition is right on the money again," Thomas added. "For that, you get a gold star!"

"Hey, Seviper, I…I should not have judged you so quickly. And I'm sorry about the eye thing. You are worthy of my sister. Maybe overly worthy," Zangoose chuckled weakly.

"She'sss a ssstrong girl," Seviper commented. "I guessss I know why now."

"Thanks. Take good care of her," Zangoose requested.

"Naturally," Seviper assured.

"That was a splendid fight. I'd love to see you two have a rematch," Mew commented playfully. The legendary Pokémon seemed very enthused by the battle. "I don't think I've been this excited about battling since I fought the Poké Pals for the Grass Cornet! Now, _that_ was something spectacular! But I still think it's strange that Thomas is suddenly a Riolu. My belief is that he was no longer needed in the form of a Turtwig, so some divine power turned him into a Riolu."

"This form better suits me anyway," the Riolu commented. "I mean, I'm used to walking and running on two legs. I can hold stuff easier. Plus, I have a really cool tail! Being a Riolu is awesome!"

"Well, as long as it's satisfying," Mew giggled.

"Y-you're the legendary Mew," Razara gazed at the playfully pink feline in awe. Knees knocking, Razara then exclaimed, "It's my dream to meet you!"

"Well, I'm flattered," Mew giggled. "I've heard about you, Razara. This doesn't suit what I've heard about you."

"I'm sorry. A lot just happened in a short amount of time…" Razara sniffled and realized that her tears were still falling from when the duel was taking place. "I'm so happy that I get to have both my brother and my lover…"

"That was some duel, huh, Sandslash? Sandslash?" Scyther asked, awaiting a response. With an empty pause lasting seven seconds, he spoke up. "Sandslash!"

"Present!" Sandslash exclaimed, coming out of a daydream. "That was a good daydream…hey, Scyther, have you ever thought about growing a beard?"

"I don't think I can," Scyther admitted.

"I'm so happy!" Razara embraced Seviper, crying tears of joy. "Don't worry, Brother. I won't make you an uncle _too_ soon."

"I'm happy to hear that," Zangoose sighed in relief. "Well, Seviper, that was a great battle, and you have your reward. Feel free to add the points to your rank."

"Thanksss," Seviper hissed his thanks, "brother-in-law."

"What a touching ending!" Mew commented cheerfully.

**The end**


End file.
